§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will ascertain and 456W state the number of purchasers of land who are paying interest in lieu of purchase annuities; and the aggregate amount of the excess over the annuities per year in each county and in the whole of Ireland, as shown by the accounts at 31st March, 1909?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Land Commission inform me that the number of tenant-purchasers who, having signed agreements for purchase under section 1 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, are liable at the date mentioned in the question to pay interest in lieu of rent is, in round numbers, 158,000, representing applications in respect of purchase money of £49,673,000. In 90 per cent. and upwards of the agreements lodged the rate of interest agreed to be paid is 3½ per cent. The difference between that rate of interest and 3¼ per cent., the present annuity rate, approximately represents the excess referred to in the question, or about £124,180 for the whole of Ireland. I cannot ask the Land Commission, whose staff is already fully occupied, to work out the figures for each county separately.